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Tribune television stations in 16 markets across the country, including WGN in Chicago, are threatening to cut off programming to millions of DirecTV subscribers after negotiations over retransmission fees broke down Monday.

The contract is set to expire March 31 and Tribune Co. is seeking compensation from the satellite TV provider to carry its programming, something it does not receive. Without resolution, the plug will be pulled Saturday at midnight.**

Awesome. Glad that DirecTV is in enough of a position of power to keep taking the same stance with all these greedy ***** that think that it's up to DirecTV to keep their coffers overflowing. Maybe they should try following DirecTV's example in their own dealings with the things they pay for instead.

I've never quite understood the economics of retransmission fees with ad supported networks. You pull the network, ratings go down, and you get to charge less ad revenue.

We would not be having this discussion at all if the Government would quit protecting the local stations, and allow the sat carriers to offer a set of networks from New York, Denver, and LA like they used to be able to do. Those that wanted the local stations put up an antenna or subscribed to lifeline cable. Its the CON-gress being paid off by the N.A.B. lobbyists that is protecting the local stations by eliminating competition, and forcing us to pay whether we want them or not.

Ad rates are set during sweeps weeks I believe, so these short term greed-fests probably dont affect ad rates much... Now if it drags on for years, like some of Dish/Disney ones, then perhaps it does.